India, Pak artistes erase borders as love takes over

Even when cross-border tensions were peaking in the aftermath of the Mumbai attacks, artists committed "the act of insanity" and crossed over the border, giving love a chance.
The sailing has already smooth for Sania and Shoaib, who had little trouble getting visas unlike many others who had to run from pillar to post to get visas or to enable their spouses (usually husbands) to visit their respective countries.

A famous Pakistani artist who found her soulmate in India, said, "Me marrying an Indian or him marrying a Pakistani is an act of courage and of huge historical relevance – much more important than any ministerial exchange, wouldn't you think?"
Sana Khan (name changed), who married a reputed artist from eastern India, sees her husband and herself as "cultural ambassadors".
She pointed out: "This is potentially an interesting trend in future relations."      
 Sania and Shoaib will perhaps never be able to articulate the significance of such marriages like Khan.

Khan's decision to marry an Indian wasn't easy.
"My parents are originally from India, so it was too much of a reversal of history for them, that I would move back. They have 'explained away' India from their minds for psychological reasons and to hear of me moving back, of course, filled them with trepidation," she said.

"Everyone in their right minds knows that an Indo-Pakistan marriage can be a logistical nightmare and wouldn't wish that for their child. It's a very strong political divide.
"Though for the couples concerned, the marriage and the move is a natural enough thing to do if you care for each other…for society at large it's an act of insanity," she said.
Khan met her husband when she was in India for an artists' residency in 2001. The marriage took place recently.

Apart from Indian and Pakistani society not accepting such marriages (and landlords refusing to rent out homes to such couples), it is always the wife who has to move to her spouse's country.
"In all Indo-Pakistan marriages, the men, whether Indian or Pakistani, are the ones who have a harder time getting visas. So the women end up moving to the other country," Khan pointed out.

Two other Pakistani artists and a journalist have married Indians and moved to India.
Three others are trying to make India their home.
Those involved in these cross-border marriages include theatre actors, writers and musicians.

Nida Ahmed (name changed), another Pakistani artist who has made India her home, said: "I have set up my home and have great friends here. For three months at a time, I can forget that my status is temporary. But then at the end of three months, I have to pull out my ticket and passport and leave."
"On the other hand if I apply for a resident permit, I can't leave at all. Why should it have to be this or that?" she asked.

"I just want this (Indo-Pakistan relations) to become better. We function day-to-day with blinders on because it's too tough a situation to get bogged down by. But there has to be some letting go and relaxation," Ahmed said.
"Restrictive work opportunities" is another area of complaint from these artists.
And with their numbers growing, these couples are contemplating floating a lobby group to get visas more easily.

Indian matrimonial websites too have opened franchises in Pakistan.
Shaadi.com runs a franchise from Karachi and has quite a few Pakistanis registered looking for love on the other side of Wagah.